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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24181132">2 - "without even trying"</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyn_00/pseuds/cyn_00'>cyn_00</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Moreid one shots [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Criminal Minds (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Canon Related, Comfort, Confusion, M/M, Non-Canon Relationship, One Shot, One Shot Collection, POV Alternating, POV Derek, POV Spencer Reid, Secret Relationship, Short One Shot, Worried Derek Morgan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:16:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,159</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24181132</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyn_00/pseuds/cyn_00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Brief one shot inspired by <b>season 5, episode 11</b> (<b>"Retaliation"</b>). I think <em>cute</em> is the word to describe this shot ;)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Derek Morgan &amp; Spencer Reid, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Moreid one shots [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1746199</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>235</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>2 - "without even trying"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>At the end of the episode, when Hotch goes to Morgan's office to talk to him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <a href="https://cyn-00.tumblr.com/post/190814206406/moreid-one-shot-2">Link to the same fic on Tumblr</a> </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Hotch had just got out of Morgan's office, after a conversation that took only 5 minutes but was definitely enough to leave Derek quite confused. But he was so tired he didn't wanna think about any of it for a while - him becoming head of the team temporarily because of Hotch's recent loss. </p><p>He could relax now. He stretched on his chair and closed his eyes.</p><p>All of a sudden he heard footsteps approaching his office, breaching through that soothing silence. He could clearly recognize the sound Reid's - his <em>boyfriend</em>'s - shoes made, and the rhythm of his pace. He opened his eyes and sat up straight on his chair again.</p><p> </p><p>"Pretty boy!" he greeted him with relief, smiling from ear to ear. If it had been anyone else coming in his office in that moment, it would have annoyed him. Even Penelope, to be fair - he loved her, but her always sparkling mood, sometimes, did not work for Derek, especially when he was tired. </p><p>Spencer stood there without answering, hands in his pockets, trying to hide his smile at Derek's reaction.</p><p>"Come here" Morgan gestured with his fingers, while drawing his chair closer to the desk. Spencer followed the order and walked closer, putting his heavy satchel on the chair opposite from Derek instead of sitting down.</p><p>A few seconds of silence were more than enough for him to pick up that something was bothering him. And Derek knew that, but there was no reason to hide it. That's what Spencer did to him: he always put him in the condition of allowing himself to be authentic and vulnerable - probably, without even trying. </p><p>Reid frowned. "You okay? Cause I saw Hotch getting out on my way here..."</p><p>"Yeah" was all that Morgan replied, followed by a few seconds of silence.</p><p>Spencer made his way around the desk and leaned on it with his back, crossing his arms on his chest. The space between the two was way smaller now, and Morgan felt the pressure to spit it out: it was all calculated, of course.</p><p>He sighed and looked up into Spencer's hazel - and tired - eyes.</p><p>"He came to tell me that he appreciates what I've been doing and that I <em>exceeded everyone's expectations.</em>"</p><p>Spencer was now wearing an expression of confusion: he was struggling to pick up on how that could sound like something worthy of concern on Derek's part.</p><p>"...and?"</p><p>Derek sighed, again. "And, I don't know what to do with that. You know? He just said it like that. Was he implying that I should step down? Cause I <em>can,</em> I can do that for him, but he made it sound like it's up to me to decide, like he's not so sure in the first place." he explained, shaking his head.</p><p>Honestly, Spencer didn't quite get why he was being so paranoid - usually that was <em>him</em>. But on the other hand, he couldn't possibly know what he was going through: the pressure of having to fill Hotch's shoes, even if just temporarily. </p><p>He reached his hand out to lightly touch Derek's, in the attempt to soothe down his nervous fidgeting with the edge of the wooden desk; without making it too obvious that he wanted to hold it tight. Not out of being afraid to be seen - it was late and nobody was really around anymore, plus they would just be <em>holding hands</em> - but because he didn't know how Derek would react.</p><p> </p><p>"I don't know what you'll decide, neither if Hotch is gonna decide for you. What I do know, though, is-" Spencer interrupted himself, keeping his eyes on Derek's hand while playing with his fingers, and smiled a little.</p><p>"-what I know is that I'm actually very proud of you." he made sure to shift his look on Derek's face right after saying that, to try and decipher his reaction. </p><p>Derek smiled in a way that made Spencer's heart melt, like he was satisfied with him saying what he felt out loud, instead of covering his actual feelings with statistics and facts that maybe worked universally, but did not really say anything about him or what he thought about things - about <em>Derek</em>.</p><p>He stood up from the chair and got closer to Spencer, combing his fingers through his hair.</p><p>"Kid, you know that what you think matters to me, right? Even if you look at me like I'm the most confident person in the room. When you speak your mind I care to listen. You know?"</p><p>Reid shot up from his half-sitting on the desk position, cupped Morgan's face in his hands and kissed him, out of nowhere, out of not being able to resist his gaze and words and that damn hand in his curls any longer. It actually happened more often that one would think, that Spencer was the one to kiss him first.</p><p>Derek got carried away - totally forgetting that the door was open - and pulled himself even closer to him, pushing him against the desk with his hips and breathing heavily against his soft lips. </p><p>The kiss was getting real intense, their mouths melted together like they hadn't seen each other in months when, actually, they sticked around one another literally all day long - not only for work. </p><p>Spencer got out of the kiss, craving for air. His hair slightly messy, just like his tie; his lips red.</p><p>Derek ran his hands from Spencer's hips up to his tiny waist, but without getting any closer than he already was, nor saying anything. The moment he did that, Spencer's chest was all racing again.</p><p>"Alright can we- can we get home?" Spencer stuttered embarrassed and quite visibly impatient, voice a little hoarse.</p><p>Derek nodded chuckling, leaning forward again to give Spencer a quick peck behind his ear, like he hadn't teased him enough already. </p><p> </p><p>Reid picked up his leather bag from the chair - surprisingly remembering about it after <em>that</em> - while Morgan grabbed his jacket and they walked out of the office together.</p><p>"I have to admit that if you had to give Hotch his position back, I would kinda miss seeing you in shirt and jacket..." Reid said jokingly, avoiding to phrase it like:<em> "you look hot in shirt and jacket and you're lucky I don't try to jump you all the time."</em> But that's definitely what he meant. </p><p>Derek chuckled. "Pretty boy, I <em>would</em> keep doing the whole jacket thing just for you, really, but I can't really kick doors open wearing that, can I?" he paused to increase the tension, smirking teasingly.</p><p>"I have reason to believe that you like <em>that</em> too, am I right?" he shot Spencer a look that made him blush furiously and smile, even if he wasn't looking back at him. </p><p>Silence. </p><p>Spencer rolled his eyes. "...alright. 1-0 for you, I guess."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tumblr: @cyn-00</p></blockquote></div></div>
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